Vol. lvi December 15, 1922 No. 1459 



The Trend of Avian Populations in Cali- 

 fornia: De. Joseph Grinnell 671 



Are Permanent Disturbances of Equiliiration 

 inherited? Dr. C. E. GRirFlTH 676 



The Usefulness of Analytic Abstracts: Dr. 

 Gordon Pulcher 678 



Scientific Events: 



Conservation of the Besources of the Pa- 

 cific; The University of Wyoming and Dr. 

 Nelson; The Industrial Division of the 

 American Chemical Society; The Union of 

 American Biological Societies; Motels for 

 the Boston Meeting 680 



Scientific Notes and News 682 



University and Educational Notes 686 



Discussion and Correspondence: 



Glaciation in the Cordilleran Hegion: J. T. 

 Pardee. Effects of Copper Wire on Trees: 

 Dr. George B. Eigg. Tangent Lines: 

 Professor Florian Cajori 686 



Scientific BooTcs: 

 Bicks on the Analysis of Spectra: Dr. 

 Charles E. St. John 687 



American Eosins : Dr. H. J. Conn 689 



Zoological Nomenclature: Dr. Charles War- 

 dell Stiles .•. 690 



Special Articles: 



The Organisation of the Nervous Mechan- 

 ism of Respiration: Professor F. H. Pike 

 and Helen C. Coombs 691 



The American Chemical Society: Dr. Charles 

 L. Parsons 693 



SCIENCE: A Weekly Journal devoted to the 

 Advancement of Science, publishing the official 

 notices and proceedings of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science, edited by 

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Entered as second-class matter January 21, 1922, at the 



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THE TREND OF AVIAN POPULA- 

 TIONS IN CALIFORNIA 



There is one besetting temptation to which 

 any student fairly advanced in the exploration 

 of his chosen field would seem justified in yield- 

 ing. This temptation is to hold up to close 

 scrutiny any stiiiking generalization given wide 

 publicity, save it be from the most authorita- 

 tive source — tto see whether it be reaUy founded 

 in fact A case in point has to do with avian 

 populations. 



It has been stated or at least implied with 

 inci-easing frequency in late years, in various 

 publications, especially in those emanating 

 from organizations concerned with bird pro- 

 tection, that serious decrease is taking place in 

 our bird Ufe, and that this decrease is due to 

 the thoughtlessness or perfidy of man and is 

 preventable. These statements and implica- 

 tions are being expressed inot only with regard 

 to the longer and more thickly settled eastern 

 United States, but with regard to the west in 

 general, and to California. Confessedly with 

 some ffl priori doubt, but Avith a view to testing 

 fairly the truth of these dicta, I have under- 

 taken an inquiry into the situation in our own 

 state, for the purpose of finding out what the 

 facts are — ^^of ascertaining whatever changes in 

 our bird population may, indeed, have Ijecome 

 apparent, and the causes itherefor. 



To begin with, of course, terms must be de- 

 fined. In using the word "decrease," or its 

 opposite, "increase," in this connection, one of 

 two distinct ideas may be in a person's mind. 

 He may refer to the number of species, or he 

 may refer to the aggregate number of indi- 

 viduals. Or, both of these ideas may be held, 

 in more or less vague association. 



To take up the first concept: There is no 

 question whatsoever that a certain few species 

 of birds have become nearly, or quite, extinot, 

 as far as California is concerned, within the 



